Mr. Tony O'Brien:

Cathaoirleach, Deputies and Senators, thank you for the opportunity to attend. On behalf of Peter McVerry Trust, I fully and unreservedly acknowledge the serious financial and governance issues within the organisation in recent years. These are both governance and regulatory compliance failings at the most serious end of the spectrum. They have understandably raised serious concerns about oversight, accountability and the use of public and other funds. We understand the gravity of these issues and the responsibility we have accepted to restore confidence in the Trust and align with regulatory standards.

In November 2023, when the full extent of the crisis became apparent, exceptional Government funding of €15 million was provided to us through a loan facility. We are very grateful to the Department of housing and, ultimately, to taxpayers for that support, which enabled the trust to continue to provide services to those most vulnerable in our society. As part of the loan arrangement, the trust is working with the Department to transfer unencumbered assets, such as housing units and vacant properties, to local authorities. That process is under way. We are fully committed to repaying the value of the loan in full.

We appear before the committee today with a clear and sincere commitment to transparency, accountability and reform. Under a new CEO, an enhanced senior management team and a newly constituted board of directors, we are actively addressing past shortcomings and implementing robust systems to ensure such failures cannot happen again. The issues identified related to weaknesses in financial oversight, internal controls and governance processes. Since early 2024, the trust has been undertaking extensive work in rebuilding the organisation and implementing fundamental changes across management and internal structures, including appointing new senior leaders and experienced managers in finance, assets and facilities. We have introduced the strengthened governance framework, and our financial systems have been overhauled, with new controls, reporting mechanisms, and external oversight to ensure best practice is embedded at every level.

We have ongoing and detailed engagement with the Charities Regulatory Authority and the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority. We continue to meet regularly with the Department of housing’s oversight group. These engagements are constructive and play a vital role in shaping the reforms we are implementing. As of today, the trust is addressing issues of compliance and is committed to achieving excellence in regulatory compliance. I need to make it clear, however, that we are not there yet. This work will continue for some time.

Turning to the trust’s operations, during this period of change, our dedicated staff have continued to deliver vital services to some of the most marginalised individuals in Irish society. Their professionalism, compassion and resilience have ensured that those who rely on the trust have continued to receive the supports they need. The continuity of care and support provided by our front-line staff is a testament to their unwavering commitment to the values that have always defined the work of the trust. Across our services, we are supporting 714 adults, 55 young people, and 229 children experiencing homelessness, providing wraparound supports to 1,564 tenants, educating 45 young students through our learning centres and working with over 100 individuals to help them overcome addiction and rebuild their lives. These numbers reflect not just the scale and diversity of service provision, but also the human impact of our work in line with the underpinning ethos of the trust.

We are grateful for the continued support of the Department and all our funding partners. Their assistance has been essential in enabling us to maintain these critical services during a period of significant internal change. We also acknowledge the support and patience of our wider stakeholders, including service users, staff and the public, as we work to regain people's trust. Our priority is to continue to strengthen the organisation in order that we can be fully compliant and deliver our mission and core objectives with renewed confidence and credibility. We are committed to learning from the past, listening to our stakeholders, and embedding a culture of openness and accountability at every level of the organisation. As soon as we have completed the critical task of finalising and submitting our 2023 financial statements and annual report, we will seek an appearance before the Committee of Public Accounts to answer the questions of its members.